


Bridges

by MacabreVanity



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 02:46:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17779118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MacabreVanity/pseuds/MacabreVanity
Summary: Having set up a meeting between the Paladins of Voltron, and Princess Allura, Emperor Lotor pleads his case for forgiveness. Can he rebuild the bridges that were destroyed at the Rift?





	Bridges

**Author's Note:**

  * For [allotcr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/allotcr/gifts).



His eyes slid around the room, wary, and eventually found their way back to the Princess. He put his good hand to his chest, bowing deeply. "Forgive me, Princess Allura, and Paladins of Voltron, for my actions at the Rift. It is not the actions themselves that I can plead atonement for, but the cause of them that I hope I can explain."

"The Quintessence Field is a place I have been attempting to find for millennia, in order to sate my people’s need of it, but it isn't without its risks. I," he paused, ears lowering, regret coming over his features. "I have fallen into the same trap as my parents, and had succumbed to quintessence overexposure. The withdrawal effects are catastrophic, which you all experienced by Daibazaal, and in the fields."

"It is true, that I greeted you with hostility when you appeared in the Rift. I was in the throes of the past, of the injustices of my father, and to think that I had become as cruel as he, it... It is something absolutely abhorrent, what I have done. I cannot promise it will not happen again, for I do not know what path my recovery will take, but I will be more mindful of the signs of regression, in the future. I hope you can find it in yourselves to forgive me, and to give me a second chance, but I understand if that is not the case."

Lance was the first one to scoff, motioning a hand to Lotor, as he turned his gaze to Shiro. “You can’t believe this guy, right? We all know Lotor’s good with his words, that he twists people around his fingers.”

The Emperor’s ears flicked in his annoyance, but he had no way to protest it; he had made his case, it was up to the Princess and the Paladins to decide his fate.

Shiro looked torn, and rubbed his neck. “I don’t know, Lance… He does seem genuine, and we can all agree Lotor wasn’t himself in the Rift; at least, well, what I remember you telling me.” He turned his attention to Hunk. “Hunk, you were there from the start of the fight, and you know how things went down. What do you think?”

“What, me? Well uh,” He glanced at Allura, and back at Lotor, before shaking his head. “I don’t know what happened between you two in the Rift, but it obviously left you pretty emotionally charged. If what Lotor says is true, and I mean, considering Zarkon and Honerva? I’m kind of on his side on that, but-“ Hunk shook his head, sighing. “It’s a mess, but I think he’s telling the truth. Lotor might manipulate people, but… I don’t think he’s ever straight-up lied to us. Even with the colony thing? He didn’t lie, he just didn’t tell us. And who knows, maybe he has his reasons.”  
Lotor gave a small smile, the relief undermined by the deepening lines around his eyes. “Thank you, Paladin Hunk.”

“Yeah, no problem. Besides, there’s still a lot we don’t know about you, the Galra, -and- the Alteans. We jumped to conclusions, and that hurt everyone in the end.”  
Allura was painfully silent throughout his explanation, and for a moment, Lotor feared he might have lost her- the love of his life, she might never forgive him, might never love him again, and that tore at his heart.  
She took a step forward, eyes hard, and glared up at him for a long moment. “You are telling the truth?”

“Yes, Princess.” He bowed his head, ears pinning back in his stress.

She regarded him for another pause, gaze scrutinizing. “If I ever find out that you are lying to me, on this alone, I will never forgive you for it.”

“I would never lie to you, Princess. I had to keep quiet about the colony- even my generals did not know. I wanted, above all else, to keep them safe.”

“Why did Bandor die, then?”

“When Sendak found one of my escorts from the colony, Bandor panicked. He took a shot from one of the fighters, and fled back to the colony- against orders. He knew, as a fighter, that there was always a risk to come up against the Galra Empire in the nearby starsystems of the Abyss, but I made a poor judgement call, and pushed him through the program when he was not ready.”  
“I grieve, every loss of the Alteans, Allura. They are my people, as they are yours.” He reached down, and took her hands in his large ones. “Allura, I told you before, and I will say it again; my feelings for you are true. there is no lie to my apology. I want to repair this injustice I have dealt to you, and the Paladins of Voltron.”

Looking down at her hands, her expression faltered, and those brilliant blue and pink eyes teared up. She wrapped her arms around him, letting out a soft noise. “I’m so sorry we left you!” Tears rushed from her eyes, streaming down her cheeks. “Keith and I wanted to get you, but that final attack, Voltron, it would have-“

“Shh,” He wrapped his arms around her in return, burying his face in that cloud of white hair, a fragile smile on his lips. “I cannot blame you, for what you did. We can start anew, rebuild the bridges we burned, and the universe will be better for it.” He pulled back slightly, rubbing his thumb over her cheeks, and wiping away her tears. “What do you think, Allura?”

Her lip trembled as she smiled, more tears spilling from her puffy eyes, and she rubbed at her face. “I, I think I would like that, very much.”


End file.
